3 tigers found dead in Wayanad; Kerala Forest dept orders probe
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Wayanad: The Kerala Forest Department on Wednesday launched an investigation into the deaths of three tigers after their carcasses were discovered at two different locations in the district.
Two of the tigers were found dead inside the Kurichyad forest range, while the decomposed body of another was spotted in a coffee plantation under the Vythiri forest division.
Forest officials patrolling the Kurichyad area first came across the two dead big cats, while estate workers stumbled upon the decayed remains of the third tiger inside the plantation, officials said.
In response to the deaths, Forest Minister A K Saseendran has ordered the formation of a special team to probe the incident and determine the exact cause.
According to an official statement, the eight-member team will be led by K S Deepa, Chief Conservator of Forests (Northern Circle). The minister emphasized that the investigation would explore all possible angles, including whether the deaths involved any foul play or deliberate action.
Saseendran has directed that the probe report be submitted within a month.
The incident comes shortly after a tribal woman was killed by a tiger while plucking coffee beans. The same tiger, which had been the focus of a tranquilization effort by the forest department, was later found dead with injuries two days after the attack.
With PTI inputs